Käyttötapauskuvauksen

Käyttötapauskuvauksen, often translated as "use case description" in English, is a technique used in software engineering and business analysis to describe how a system or software interacts with its users or other systems to achieve a specific goal. It provides a narrative that outlines the steps an actor takes to accomplish a task, as well as the system's responses. A well-written use case description helps stakeholders understand the intended functionality of a system from an external perspective.

The core components of a use case description typically include the use case name, a brief summary, the actors involved (users or external systems), preconditions (what must be true before the use case can begin), postconditions (what will be true after the use case successfully completes), and the main success scenario. The main success scenario is a step-by-step account of the typical, expected interaction between the actor and the system. Additionally, use case descriptions often include alternative flows and exception flows, which detail variations or error conditions that might occur during the interaction.

By focusing on what the system *does* rather than *how* it does it, use case descriptions facilitate clear communication between technical and non-technical team members. They serve as a valuable tool for requirements gathering, system design, test case generation, and user documentation. The use case approach emphasizes the goals of the users, ensuring that the system being developed will meet their needs effectively.